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SONA 2020 Final PDF
SONA 2020 Final PDF
by
HIS EXCELLENCY
PROFESSOR ARTHUR PETER MUTHARIKA
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF MALAWI
On the occasion of
LILONGWE
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YOUR EXCELLENCY PROFESSOR GERTRUDE MUTHARIKA,
FIRST LADY OF THE REPUBLIC OF MALAWI;
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HIS EXCELLENCY JORGE DAVIDE GUNE, DEAN OF THE
DIPLOMATIC CORPS AND HEADS OF DIPLOMATIC
MISSIONS;
3
INTRODUCTION
Let us accept that we have people who think they can lead Malawi by
destroying the only country we have. We are sometimes hungry for
destruction more than we desire peace and unity. Let us love our
country.
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Let us admit we have a crisis. Coronavirus is real and coronavirus is
a global crisis. Malawi is not being spared. Yet, we are taking this
problem lightly.
The President and the Executive are always held accountable every
day by this House and the people. Parliament is held accountable.
But who holds the Judiciary accountable?
I respect the Courts. Speaking my views when the Courts err is not
attacking the Courts. This poor thinking must stop. As a matter of
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fact, no judge in this country must live in fear if you have a clear
conscience. Just do your job right!
This Parliament respects the Courts. But that does not mean that we
must agree with every judgement that comes from the Courts. We
must all hold one another accountable.
Let me say one thing for record. With the decision which the Court
has made on the issue of irregularities, we will never, never have a
valid and credible Election in this country because there will always
be some irregularities in any Election. We have set a precedence by
which the next Election will be even more disputable.
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From today, anyone can now rush to Court and demand nullification
of an Election because an officer corrected an error even if that
correction does not affect the result of the Election. Is that the
Malawi we want?
I therefore call upon this Parliament to make sober decisions, for the
sake of Malawians. Let us set aside politics and love our country.
It is for this reason that I have entitled my address “Balancing
Development and Politics: Renewing Our Love for Our Country”.
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MACRO-ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT
The country has just survived the economic shocks of the Cyclone
Idai. That cyclone was so devastating that we needed $365 million
(Three Hundred Sixty-Five Million Dollars) for recovery and rebuilding
broken lives. Then came another round of shocks in the economy –
political violence!
I must also report that one ulterior motive for the violence was, in
some people’s words, “to obliterate the DPP economy” and label my
Government a failure. They failed. The negative drive to close down
borders and airports was intended to shut down taps of revenue,
suffocate the economy, subject innocent Malawians to suffering and
create anger to incite people into the streets and overthrow my
Government. We survived.
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As soon as violence failed to shut down our borders and cripple the
economy, Coronavirus came and locked down the world. Business
has slowed down, revenue collection undermined and demand to
spend on social protection increased.
With a real GDP growth rate of 5.1 percent, we still have managed to
achieve the 2019 targeted 5 percent of economic growth. This is an
improvement from the 3.9 percent real GDP growth registered in
2018.
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However, economic growth rate of 5.5 percent that was projected for
2020 has been challenged by Coronavirus. This pandemic has
affected many growth sectors of the economy. As a result, the
economy is now projected to register an estimated GDP growth of
only 1.9 percent in 2020.We have also revised downwards the real
GDP growth projection for 2021 from an anticipated growth of 5.8
percent to 4.5 percent.
Fiscal Policy
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On the expenditure side, we will focus on creating incentives for the
private sector to encourage growth and job creation. At the same
time, we will do everything possible to accommodate Coronavirus
spending. We will continue with aggressive social protection
programs. We will internally create funding for the Coronavirus
crisis by delaying spending in non-health areas that are not
essential to tackling the immediate crisis.
This year, Government will roll out the long awaited New Integrated
Financial Management and Information System (IFMIS) on 1st July,
2020. This new system will tightly close loopholes of pilferage and
smoke out ghost workers more effectively than ever. With this
system, I have a message to all officers working in the public service.
If you dare get tempted to steal money from Account Number One,
we will catch you and arrest you. There will be no more cashgates.
Monetary Policy
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Reserve Requirement on foreign currency deposits was reduced
from 7.5 percent to 3.75 percent.
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International Monetary Fund (IMF) Extended Credit Facility
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To ensure national food security, Government has engaged ADMARC
and NFRA as well as private institutions to secure the national grain
and build our Strategic Grain Reserve (SGR) stocks to more than
217,000 metric tonnes. Government has allocated MK9.2 billion in
the current Financial Year to procure about 46,000 metric tonnes of
maize. Purchase of this grain has already started though ADMARC.
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implementation of the Sustainable Agriculture Production
Programme (SAPP) in the six target districts of Chitipa,
Nkhotakota, Balaka, Lilongwe, Blantyre and Chiradzulu.
Cumulatively, 350 groups have been provided with Village
Challenge Fund (VCF) matching grants to undertake various
enterprises.
Irrigation Development
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Water Supply and Sanitation Services
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In the forthcoming Financial Year, Government plans to rehabilitate
7 gravity fed schemes and rehabilitate 560 boreholes under the
Malawi Drought Recovery and Resilient Project in 19 drought
affected districts.
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Let me report on the major achievements made in the Basic
Education Sub-sector. Government:
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emergency Radio Education Programme through the public
broadcaster specifically targeting primary school learners.
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successfully developed and negotiated the Access to Clean and
Renewable Energy (ACRE) Project which will be supported by the
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The Project
aims at promoting the dissemination of renewable energy
technologies for power supply, lighting and heating and will be
implemented over a four-year period up to 2023; and
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implement the MAREP Phase 9 Programme which will electrify
over 500 rural centres.
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protect 88 forest reserves and 20 state owned plantations
(90,000 hectares) from high levels of encroachments and fires
and regulate movement of forest products both locally and at
international level; and
implemented the Jobs for Youth (J4Y) project which will create
17,000 jobs;
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identified construction sites and engaged contractors to
construct Nyasa Big Bullets and Be-Forward Wanderers
stadiums.
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In the next Financial Year, Government will:
TOURISM DEVELOPMENT
The anticipated financial and job losses in the sector are huge and
likely to worsen should the pandemic persist. However, in order to
mitigate the impact of the pandemic, Government is implementing the
following measures:
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Government is also considering establishing a bailout fund to support
the tourism sector.
TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE
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Kawere-Mkanda Road involving upgrading to bitumen standards
of 10 km road from Mchinji Boma to Kapiri which has been
completed;
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upgrading of the M1 Road in the city of Lilongwe involving
construction of dual carriageway from Chidzanja Road Junction
to Mchinji Roundabout. Construction works on this project will
commence soon.
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prioritizing infrastructure improvement in all major airports in the
country.
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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
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their social and economic status, are able to access quality,
equitable and affordable health care.
Injuries, including road traffic accidents, feature among the top ten
contributors to ill health in Malawi. For this reason, Government has
introduced a fully operational pilot Emergency Medical Service along
the M1 stretch from Blantyre to Ntcheu with a toll-free number (118)
to call in case of an accident.
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Under this medical service, Government has trained 443 community
members as first responders to accidents, 34 ambulance drivers and
89 health workers in accident victim management. In addition,
twelve (12) purpose-built fully equipped ambulances have been
procured. Government is also constructing the Lilongwe Institute of
Orthopedics and Neurosurgery with support from development
partners to cater for health care needs arising from road traffic
accidents, among others.
CORONAVIRUS
So far the world has registered over five million cases. More than
300,000 people have died. Health systems are struggling to cope.
Economies are crumbling. Human social cohesion is falling. And no
one has been spared.
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20th March, 2020, I declared a State of Disaster. I established a
Special Cabinet Committee on Coronavirus whose task was to
coordinate efforts in fighting the disease.
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● raising awareness and disseminating information on measures
to control and prevent transmission of the virus to the general
public;
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xii. Thyolo District Hospital; and
Let me also thank all Malawians and the private sector who are
adhering to the measures we put in place to prevent the spread of
the disease.
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and long-term consequences than we have already suffered; and no
one will be spared.
So, let us stop politicizing the fight against Coronavirus. Let us all
pull in one direction to fight it. Each one of us has a role to play.
Together, we will defeat this enemy.
WOMEN EMPOWERMENT
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Madam Speaker, during the year under review, my Government
continued to expand the Social Cash Transfer Program to cover more
beneficiaries across the country. Supporting vulnerable women for
them to meet their daily needs is one way to ensure that women
benefit from the improving economy.
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● We completed the construction of Mulanje Mission Market and
Chinakanaka Market and Msikawanjala Market in Mulanje;
Nsanje Boma Market and Tengani Market in Nsanje.
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LANDS, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
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DISASTER MANAGEMENT
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With regard to law enforcement, the ACB investigated a total of 127
cases of which 86 cases were completed.
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INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
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Force Intervention Brigade mandated under the United Nations
Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO).
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In order to enhance awareness about these laws and policies
amongst public servants, Government has started training public
officers on the Malawi National Public Sector Reforms Policy and the
Malawi Public Service Management Policy.
CONCLUSION
Great countries have risen from the worst crises in human history.
We still have a bright future ahead.
What we need is to unite, to put our country first and speak with
one voice. Let us rise above partisan politics and put development
before politics. Malawi is bigger than us all and our children are
watching us.
Thank you.
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